(June 12, 2013 - Insidermedicine)
From Illinois – Sleep apnea raises risk of sudden cardiac death, according to a report published in the JACC. Researchers studied over 10,000 adults for an average of 5.3 years. Over the study period, there were 142 sudden cardiac deaths. The most common predictors of sudden cardiac death were age over 60, 20 apnea episodes an hour and having an oxygen saturation level below 78%. Results showed that a drop in oxygen saturation levels to below 78% increased risk of sudden cardiac death by 80%.